Eritrea Claims New Assault by Ethiopia

Hopes of an imminent end to the ruinous war between two of Africa’s poorest countries faded Saturday, as Eritrea accused Ethiopian forces of attacking military outposts near its main Red Sea port.

The allegations of renewed fighting came three days after Ethiopia declared the war against its rival over and amid reports that Eritrea’s humanitarian crisis was deepening.

Eritrean government spokesman Yemane Gebremeskel said that Ethiopian artillery and ground forces struck Eritrean military positions near Assab at 3:30 a.m. and that furious fighting raged for seven hours.

Yemane called for the immediate imposition of economic sanctions against Ethiopia and urged the U.N. Security Council to lift its arms embargo against Eritrea.

The U.N. World Food Program has estimated that the number of Eritreans displaced by the fighting could be as high as 750,000.

In the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, government spokeswoman Selome Tadesse denied Eritrea’s allegation, saying Ethiopia had not launched any new offensive.

“We have made it publicly clear that, as far as Ethiopia is concerned, military operations are over. But if there are any provocations by the Eritrean army, our defense forces have been instructed to deal with them decisively,” Selome said.

Earlier Saturday, Ethiopia accused Eritrea of launching “military provocations” to sink peace talks underway in Algeria. It was unclear what provocation Ethiopia was referring to, although Ethiopia said Eritrean forces, using heavy artillery, had attacked Ethiopian positions southwest of Assab late Friday.

Ethiopia announced the end of its war with Eritrea on Wednesday, saying it had retaken all land under dispute between the two countries along their 620-mile border.

Eritrea already has pulled out of territory claimed by its neighbor. Ethiopia insists that it has no long-term ambitions inside Eritrea, a former province that won its independence in 1993. It has said it is ready to withdraw from uncontested Eritrean land captured during the recent three-week offensive if its neighbor joins a cease-fire.